Survey on Family Financial Hardship

Background

As part of our work, we are collecting stories on financial hardships families have had in caring for a child with special needs. We will use these stories to show the importance of improving insurance coverage and financing that will benefit children and their families. The stories will include information about:

• The child's medical condition;
• The parents' work status; and
• How the family copes witih the financial responsibility of caring for a child with special needs

How will this work?

If your story is selected as the result of your survey responses, we will work with you to develop it, first through your own written words and then through follow up questions that we may ask. We will draft a case study from your story and send it back to you for your approval or changes.

How will the stories be used?

We intend to include these case studies in written materials that will be printed in hard copy and posted on our website, and sent to policy-makers, health care providers, families, advocates, legislators and other interested parties. We may not use all of the case studies in all of the materials produced. If you would like to share your story with us and others in this way, we ask that you carefully consider the questions in the consent form and provide us with whatever consent you feel comfortable with.

Forms

If you would like to receive an electronic copy of the survey so that you can type your responses, please e-mail Catalyst Center director Meg Comeau at [email protected]. Please note that you must sign and return an original copy of the consent form to us. Our mailing address and fax number are as follows:

The Catalyst Center
Boston University School of Public Health
Health and Disability Working Group
374 Congress Street, Suite 502
Boston, MA 02210
Fax: 617-426-4547

For a PDF of the English language version of the survey and consent form, click here.

For a PDF of the Spanish language version of the survey and consent form, click here.